Finally, we can see light at the end of the tunnel, as we prepare to ease ourselves out of lockdown. But coming out of winter hibernation can be daunting at the best of times, let alone when we’ve been in various states of lockdown for an entire year.
New physical habits like eating more and moving less combined with the mental struggles of recent events can leave you feeling sluggish and feeling less than confident to venture back into the outside world.
We joined forces with Holland & Barrett, who just launched the brand new SlimExpert range – a nutritionally balanced and calorie controlled plan to support you with your goals – to bring you five essential tips for getting in good physical and mental shape, and staying that way.
Eat mindfully
It goes without saying that if you want to get in shape then what you put into your body is important. Healthy eating shouldn’t be thought of as a weight-loss diet, a temporary fix or something we do to punish ourselves after over-indulging. It’s about fuelling our bodies in the way they were designed.
You’ve probably heard the analogy about healthy food being like putting the correct petrol in your car, ensuring it runs properly. It’s true – your body is like an (incredibly complex) machine which needs the right fuel in order to perform at its best.
A healthy diet includes a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat: these are known as the macronutrients and enough of these, along with enough fibre and fluids, will leave you satisfied.
Introduce a SlimExpert plan
There are plenty of meal replacement plans out there that promise to make calorie counting easier, but for this to be a healthy and sustainable option, it’s essential you go for something nutritionally balanced.
The brand new SlimExpert range is expertly formulated to be high in protein and contains Glucomannan fibre to help reduce cravings by helping you feel fuller. The meal replacements shakes (available in chocolate, vanilla or strawberry) each provide a third of the nutrients your body needs on a daily basis, so will help you achieve your weight loss goals without leaving you feeling hungry.
Meanwhile, SlimExpert porridges (in golden syrup or apple cinnamon flavours), at just 114 calories per serving, make a delicious, satisfying snack to keep on the right path.
Pay attention to body fat
Body fat percentage is the ratio of fat to total body weight. Everyone has (and needs) fat. There are two types: essential and stored, and essential fats are important as the body needs it in order to function well. But the other type, stored fat, is the result of eating too many calories, and it is this type of fat that needs to be kept in check.
Whether it is in an attempt to improve your health or to get the look you are after, burning fat and toning up may well require changes to both your exercise routine and your diet. But some easy and quick ways in which you can start burning fat right away, including strength training, eating more protein, getting your eight hours of sleep, cutting down on sugar, doing HIIT workouts and reducing calories.
Keep moving
Gyms, pools and physical workout classes might be closed, but try not to use that as an excuse to stop moving – if weight loss is your goal then you need to burn more energy than you consume, so exercise is important.
Luckily, there are numerous different workout routines which target the major muscles in your body and require absolutely nothing except your own determination. Whether you want to tone your abs, build up muscle in your arms or burn off some extra weight around your midriff, there’s an endless range of home workout routines which can improve your fitness and strength – including lunges, push ups, squats and planks.
Meanwhile, running is a high-impact activity, which works out your heart as well as strengthening your bones and muscles, with added mental health benefits, so there’s never been a better time to start.
Meditate
Keeping your mind in shape is as important as keeping your body in shape, and the two are more interlinked than you might realise. Meditation is about training yourself to observe your thoughts in a more mindful and engaged way, for a range of benefits – from better sleep and reduced anxiety, to increased concentration and self-awareness.
Never meditated before? Try this five-minute meditation for beginners:
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Set a timer for five minutes. Close your eyes and relax.
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Take a few deep breaths from your diaphragm, focusing on a five-count breath:
-Inhale slowly from your belly
-Extend the breath into your ribs
-Then into your chest
-Take it up into the crown of your head
-Hold the breath -
For the exhale, follow this five-count breath in reverse. Exhaling from the crown, to the chest, to the ribs, down to the belly and ending with a pause. Then start again.
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During the breathing sequence visualise the tension leaving your body.
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Keep going for five minutes.
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